Guest Editorial … Building a bridge of understanding

By Greg Kowalski
The Hamtramck Historical Museum has a ground-breaking exhibit on the local Bangladeshi community — its culture and history.
It is a full exploration of this large immigrant community, which is playing an increasing role of the growth — and “history” — of Hamtramck.
I highlight the word “history” above for a reason. We by our nature and defined mission, focus on the history of our community. The people and events of today fall within that scope. But I must admit that I have been surprised at some of the criticism we have received (mainly on social media and apparently largely from former residents) who object to this project.
They see Hamtramck from a nostalgic distance, reminiscing on what Hamtramck was like when they were growing up here. They still see this as a Polish community, and frankly, one that has been invaded by new immigrants, especially the Yemenis and Bangladeshis.
Nostalgia is fine to a point, but it has to be kept in perspective. We remember the good things from the past. For example, people love to recount Hamtramck’s image of tidy, little homes with neatly trimmed lawns and spotless sidewalks and streets.
That is true — to an extent. But our archives are filled with photos of rat-infested, decayed houses garbage overflowing cans, rain flooded streets and alleys and areas of general filth that also were a reality in Hamtramck.
We all need to understand that the mission of any historical museum is, or should be, to preserve and present the story of the past and to chronicle events of today for the people of tomorrow.
Hamtramck is changing. That is not new. Some 120 years ago this was mainly a community of German farmers. They were overwhelmed by the Polish immigrants in the second decade of the 20th century. And many ethnic groups have lived here through the years.
So, in fact, Hamtramck never was exactly what we tend to imagine it was.
For a museum to thrive it must adapt; it must grow and it must be connected to its community, both past and present. It must be a living organization. But, never forgetting, we must always be true to our mission statement, which outlines our reason for being.
Still, I am deeply disturbed by people who have such negative views. They’re missing out on seeing how a community can prosper as one big family.
(Mr. Kowalski is the Executive Director of the Hamtramck Historical Museum. The museum is located at 9525 Jos. Campau.)
Posted Nov. 8, 2024